Summary 6 nuclear weapons were lost and not recovered, generating different outcomes, including explosions and contaminants. Broken Arrows, such as the 1959 Hardinsburg B-52 crash, represent nuclear incidents without starting wars. Cleanup efforts after 1966 Palomares and 1968 Thule Air Base accidents ensured minimal radioactive material contamination.
While no nuclear weapons have been used in anger since World War Two, at least six nuclear weapons known about have been lost by the United States and never recovered (a number likely much higher, given the lack of Soviet/Russian transparency). Since 1950, there have been 32 nuclear weapon incidents known as "Broken Arrows" (many with nuclear-carrying B-52s ). According to atomicarchive.
com , " A Broken Arrow is defined as an unexpected event involving nuclear weapons that result in the accidental launching, firing, detonating, theft, or loss of the weapon. " 1 1959 Hardinsburg B-52 crash B-52F collided mid-air with two nuclear weapons Date: 15 October 1959 Nuclear bomb type: 3.8-megaton Mark 39 nuclear bombs Outcome: Both nukes recovered In 1959, a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress with the tail number 57-0036 collided with a KC-135 Stratotanker during mid-air refueling.
All four crew on the tanker were killed, along with four of the eight crew on the B-52. The B-52 was from the 4228th Strategic Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base. The B-52 broke up mid-air while flying at 32,000 feet over Hardinsburg, Kentucky.
The B-52's tw.